Hi all,
For pure preventative maintenance, I asked my mechanic to drain the auto transmission oil in my 1982 240D (210,000 miles), since I didn't know when it was last changed (I've owned the car 6 years). The car shifted perfectly before. Now, after him doing a flush (not just drain), the transmission shifts from 1st to 2nd but goes no further, just revs. He feels really bad because he said they didn't do anything out of the ordinary. I had supplied him with a replacement filter but it turns out to have been the wrong one, so he left the old one in. He says he'll try to drain a couple of liters and put some kind of transmission oil treatment to hopefully free it up on Monday.
Any advice on best course of action?
(Now I wish I hadn't done that preventative maintenance!!)
--Robert
p.s. I recently got the tranny oil changed on my recently-acquired 1992 Volvo wagon (it has over 200,000 miles too). The Volvo mechanic advised against doing a flush, because he said it sometimes affects older transmissions, and they just did a drain and refill.

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1983 300TD 240K - 1982 240D 215K - 1996 Dodge Cummins 70K

flushes kill older trannys, but hopefully the guy flushed it with the older filter in and then opend it up and decided the new filter did not fit... and if your lucky the old filter is clogged with all the junk from the flush....so simply have a new filter put in first...

the way they flush is to attach a machine to the transmission cooler lines at the front of the engine... then they turn the machine on....

Yup. A bunch of crud, most likely in your torque converter dislodged and got stuck in your valve body. Your mechanic should have know better.

hmm, that's what I feared. I should have been more explicit with the mechanic (I had told him to "replace the transmission oil and filter", assuming he would just drain it and not flush it.)
I'll get him to replace the filter, drain and refill, and hope...
Yet another lesson learned in car ownership.
Thanks.

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1983 300TD 240K - 1982 240D 215K - 1996 Dodge Cummins 70K

And do the torque converter too.

Len

i have never thought that flushing was a good idea. i never saw the point in flushing wo changing the filter.

this is a good reason why.

they just want to flush so that it is easier i think. it is taught as a good way to make some money without making so much mess. driaining the pan and torque converter takes some effort.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Ive heared from many reliable sources that if u flush an older trans that wasent changed regularly, that it will cause it to crap out, but hopefully this isnt the case here

Best of luck

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1983 Euro 240D 277K
2016 Mazda 6
Coming Soon, 2013 Mercedes E350 Bluetec
Formers:
2012- Mazda 3
2007 Outlander- complete pile
1995 E300 Diesel 208K
2007 VW Passat 2.0T 63K SOLD
2003 Jaguar X-type 3.0 Sport Sold 04/11 w/88K
2009 Lexus RX350 9061 miles. Sold 04/09
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS:Totaled Sept.,09 @ 24,000
2003 Infiniti I35 58K Sold
1984 300 turbo diesel 222K

Flushing works good on new transmissions and is better than just changing the fluid in the tranny because most new transmissions don't have a way to drain the TC. EDIT- but you should still change the filter IMHO. Hmm... I wonder if anybody actually does?

Well, I guess one moral of this story is: eveb when doing preventative maintenance that's good for the car, think about what and how your are doing, and be explicit in your instructions to the mechanic (ie. drain vs. flush).

We'll see how things pan out. He's going to drain a liter from the tranny, put this transmission treatment fluid in there, and drive it a bit to see if it loosens up. Then he'll drain it all again, and refill, and see...

I'm still pissed off. The car ran great before this, and now it can't be driven. Since I asked the mechanic to "replace the transmission fluid", not specifying whether it should be drained or flushed, I suppose I can't go after him. Plus, I've been getting service done there for years, and he's done good for me in the past. Hopefully we can work something out if the transmission appears to be un-salvageable... I'll keep you posted on what transpires.

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1983 300TD 240K - 1982 240D 215K - 1996 Dodge Cummins 70K

I would like to hope that as it was good not much work might be required to get it back on line. Talk to an automatic transmission specialist. Thats of course if your garage is not successful. Must happen often enough that they are aware of what is usually upset. Dirt or junk flushed into valve body sounds good for example.

Try draining off a quart of ATF then add a quart of TRANS-X. It is an additive designed to help older transmissions. If it works, run it for about 1000 mi then drain the TRANS and CONVERTOR, change filter and refill with ATF. To drain the convertor, you turn it to where the drain plug is accessable from the opening in the trans case.

As the convertor is turning, it can work as a centrifuge and settle the junk from the trans on to the inside walls of the convertor. Flushing it probably dis-lodged some debris and it got sucked up into the valve body.

The most important thing now is to get it to shift being careful not to burn the trans up by fluid starvation.

You might find a GOOD trans shop that can remove your valve body, dis-assemble it and clean it out.
Sure SORRY to hear that GOOD intentions resulted in failure

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My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.

Just for clarification: has the filter been changed?

No, the filter was not changed. I had ordered filter and gasket kits for it a couple of years ago (from an online dealer, maybe autozone, I forget). I gave a kit to the mechanic, instructing him to replace the filter once he had drained the fluid. He said the filter doesn't fit, so the dealer must have sent me the wrong one...
I'll try to get a filter from a local MB dealer tomorrow, for the mechanic to install in place of the old one, which is probably dirty now.

Thanks for all the help and tips guys, will allow me to offer more informed advice to the mechanic, tomorrow.
Cheers!

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1983 300TD 240K - 1982 240D 215K - 1996 Dodge Cummins 70K

I wonder if the flush machine itself didn't have some crap in it. It looks like the flusher hooks right up to the valve body with the filter removed.

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My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.

One the filter kit: My local parts store carries them. They are a local indy parts store specializing in non-american cars. They can get that sort of stuff for half of what the dealer charges. Call around and see what is available in your area.